Exploring by rental car

Press, 28 June 1983, Page 27

Exploring by rental car

Driving by rental car around the main island of Fiji can be a relaxing and pleasant way of getting to know this beautiful country and its friendly people. Basically, Viti Levu is encircled by a 500 km main highway — Kings Road to the north between Nandi and Suva, and Queens Road linking Nandi and Suva via the south and the Coral Coast. Queens Road is the more popular because of a major reconstruction and improvement programme which, today, leaves only 40km unsealed. Kings Road, on the other hand, is very rough, narrow and winding for 137 km between Rakiraki and Nausori. At times of heavy rain it can become impassable with little warning, but in good weather it offers magnificent scenery and ever-changing landscapes. Taking Nandi as the starting point, the best plan is to head north along Kings Road to Rakiraki, a distance of 130 km, for the first night. The drive will take about three hours, not allowing for stops. From Nandi, the road passes through lush fields of sugar cane for 24km to Lautoka, Fiji’s “sugar city,” where tours of the mill are available. Lautoka is also the port for cruise ships and the point of departure for boats to many of the outer island resorts, such as Beachcomber, Mana, and Treasure Islands. The sealed highway continues for a further 37km to Ba, a quaint cane town which offers visitors an introduction to a rural Indian community with its mosques and markets. At Tavua, 27km further on, the highway narrows to a metal-surfaced winding road to Rakiraki, the north-ern-most point of Viti Levu. Accommodation is available at the local hotel for SF3O (single) a night. A good night’s rest is recommended to prepare the traveller for the remaining 137 km unsealed section to Nausori, 19km north of Suva and site of Fiji’s second international airport. At least

three hours should be allowed for the drive from Rakiraki to Nausori because of the road’s corrugated condition in dry weather. In wet weather, the surface can churn into a sea of mud. Suva, the capital, warrants a stay of several days. But when it is time to leave, Nandi can be reached comfortably in three hours. Comfortably, that is, once a particularly rough section of the old Queens Road between Pacific Harbour and Korolevu is passed. This bad section is about 40km long. Earlier this month its negotiability was being made no easier by heavy construction machinery at the Korolevu end. However, the machinery and workmen are proof that the Fijians are conscious of the need to upgrade the road — a major task which includes the rebuilding of 30 bridges and a number of major cuttings through the Serua Hills. More than 400 men are working on the job which is not expected to be completed until the middle of 1984. Once the existing seal is reached at Korolevu the remaining 93km to Nandi is plain sailing over a wellengineered new road. This of course may tempt some drivers to make up for lost time, but beware, particularly at night. Cattle, horses and goats feed on the verges and are likely to wander

across the roadway. Fijians are also relaxed about wandering mid-road and drivers must remain constantly alert. Railway crossings are another hazard, particularly during the cane-harvesting months from now until December. Motorists receive very little warning and none of the crossings are controlled by lights or

bells. Crossing accidents account for about 12 fatalities a year. The low-slung empty trolleys of the cane trains are exceedingly difficult to spot in the dark when they are being shunted to the canefields in readiness for the next day’s harvest. Reflector tape on the waggons is the latest, but only minimal safeguard. Another word of warning. Take extra care on blind bends as local drivers (particularly taxis) have the frightening habit of cutting corners and approaching you on their wrong side of the road. Rental cars are available in Fiji from a number of firms, including Avis, Hertz and Budget. Prices range from about SFI6 a day plus 15 cents a kilometre for a small two-door Toyota Starlet to ?F2B a day plus 28 cents a kilometre for an automatic Toyota Cressida with air-conditioning and radio. (Insurance costs about an additional $4 to $5 a day.) Unlimited mileage rates range from $32 to ?56 a day. A current New Zealand licence is acceptable; but rental firms will not hire cars to people under 21. Driving laws are based on the English right-hand rule system and traffic is supposed to keep to the left. Petrol costs about the same price as it does in New Zealand.